DEAR ME, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

I wore a bikini today.  Not a two piece, granny tankini type of bikini, but one that bares my midsection. Not only did I wear a bikini today, but I wore it out on the beach packed with families enjoying their vacation.  And you know what….? No one shrieked in horror, no one insulted me, no one even gave me a dirty look, and I didn’t melt, die, or turn to salt.  Let me tell you how I got on the beach in a bikini today.

When I started Lipstick and Kettlebells, I included “empowering women” as part of my website’s tagline.  I wanted it front and center, a mission that would not be lost in the hustle and bustle of daily commentary.

Part of the mission of empowering women was embracing the body positivity movement in which we can love and embrace bodies of all shapes and sizes.  I have had amazing relatives and friends sharing their stories on social media and some even baring all down to a bikini to promote the message to “love yourself”.  Over the past year or so, I would read these stories, “like” the photos and “follow” their journey all the while thinking how amazing and brave that they all were. It only recently dawned to me that you know what…..I AM THAT BRAVE; I LOVE MYSELF THAT MUCH TOO!

I am very fortunate in several ways.  I grew up with a family that was always telling me how pretty I was and how smart I was.  I remember going to church on Sunday with my grandmother as a little girl and having all the older ladies comment how lovely I was or how much I resembled my parents.  I grew up mostly confident, I was a little chubby, but that was ok because everyone was still telling me how pretty I was and that I will have a growth spurt soon (I’m still waiting).  Writing this, I sound a little vain, but it wasn’t like that.  I had my insecurities too, especially since many of my friends were smaller than me and as a teen I would shop for accessories as they would shop for clothes in a store that I knew would have nothing to fit me.

In college, I slimmed down a little and for the first time had a notion of feeling “sexy” a new, daring emotion.  During this period of life, I met my husband, fell in love, and could fit in clothes that I felt lovely and confident in.  Since then, years of semi-poor eating choices, stress, hormones, and a lack of activity crept up until I was 80lbs heavier than the summer that I met my husband.  That equates to 12 years and 80lbs.  Now I can’t complain because I have a husband that still tells me how beautiful I am to him, but you see, I needed to believe it….and I didn’t anymore.  Gone was the confident little girl that didn’t doubt if she was pretty.  It probably happens to us all, but I decided to change it.

Last summer I had a baby, my first and only baby.  If you had told me last summer that I would strut out on the beach in a bikini, I would have laughed in your face.  I’ve never had a stereotypical “beach body” and still don’t, but that’s ok, I’m working on it.  I told you that I started my fitness journey in March in my fitness introduction post, but what I didn’t tell you was that I was taking classes for a promotion to move into a leadership position at the same time.  My messy bun and no makeup fresh face was far from the polished professional that I wanted to present.  I reached out to a colleague that I didn’t know well, but she was selling Younique makeup and I desperately needed some new foundation and basics.  I went to her house and she not only got me what I needed, but explained that she joined the company because it was all about empowering women.  Whether you are a lipstick and go kind of gal or someone who likes a full face of make-up, Younique was about making you feel beautiful and confident to be the best you.  This message really stuck with me.  So much in fact, that I joined the Younique team myself because I wanted to help women feel bold, beautiful, and confident enough to take on the world. I added bold, bright lipstick to my ensemble and just started crushing life.  Workouts, job interviews, family, mom life, bring it all on because I got this.  Hence the “lipstick” in Lipstick and Kettlebells;)

So here it is…my point I guess you could say.  You are beautiful and you don’t have to prove that to anyone but YOU.  If you aren’t happy with something, change it for you…no one else.  If someone can’t appreciate your beauty then you don’t need them.  I just walked out on a beach in a bikini as a complete “work in progress”….extra pounds, cellulite, jiggly thighs, stretch marks from having a baby and all.  I did so to prove a point to not only you, but me.  You are beautiful and life is way too short to always be living in the world of cover-ups and oversized clothes.  Today, my daughter and husband were on the beach with me, she is my legacy and I want to show her that a mom can be healthy and strong.  I want her to remember her mother as fearless, because I want her to be FEARLESS.  There is a big, scary world out there so be genuine to yourself.  For me that’s lifting something heavy, wear bold, bright lipstick (even if it’s not the fashion) and lead my family into a healthy, active lifestyle.  For you, it may be a different journey…..just remember to do it for you!